Hay, straw and like agricultural products are commonly harvested from the field by cutting same and baling into large cylindrical bales. Various bale moving equipment has been developed to collect these bales and transport same to a storage location.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 8,967,934 to Palmlund et al. discloses a trailer with an elongated bale supporting frame mounted on wheels with a bale lifting assembly mounted on one side. The large cylindrical bales are lifted from the ground by a fork assembly and placed onto the front end of the bale supporting frame. A bale shifting assembly pushes rearward on the front bale to move the row of accumulating bales sequentially rearward as they are loaded until the bale supporting frame is filled. Palmlund also discusses generally the possibility of automating the process of lifting the bale and moving the bale rearward to make room for the next bale.
The trailer of Palmlund carries a single row of bales, while U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,827 to Delaurier discloses a trailer with two side-by-side rows of bales. Delaurier has a fork assembly on each side and a pair of side-by-side bale supporting frames mounted on wheels. The bales rest on a conveyor chain under each row of bales, and each conveyor chain is operated to move the accumulating bales sequentially rearward as they are loaded until the corresponding bale supporting frame is filled.
Similarly Canadian Patent 2,300,006 to Rempel discloses a trailer a pair of side-by-side bale supporting frames mounted. The frames comprise right and left rails, and a conveyor chain running along the top of each rail. The bales rest on the right and left conveyor chains and are moved sequentially rearward by operating the conveyor chains.